


The Christmas Engagement

by Honyasbookshelf



Series: From Paris, With Love [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Families of Choice, Family Feels, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, POV Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28327953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Honyasbookshelf/pseuds/Honyasbookshelf
Summary: "She stood beside him, reassuring hand on his shoulder as he maintained appearances for the sake of the city, and he realized just how much he needed her in every aspect of his life, hero and civilian alike."Marinette has been Adrien's partner for years now, both as Ladybug and as his girlfriend. It's high time he asked her to marry him. If only he weren't so nervous!
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Sabine Cheng, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Tom Dupain, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: From Paris, With Love [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2074515
Kudos: 29





	The Christmas Engagement

**Author's Note:**

> I suppose this *could* be read on its own, but it's technically part of a series crossing MLB with Marvel's Avengers. The Avengers don't show up here, other than a passing mention of Bucky, but. . . there's a lot of backstory and plot development for a bigger sequel going on in this story. Plus, you know, a fluffy Christmas marriage proposal, so there's that.
> 
> As far as the timeline goes, this takes place the Christmas before the timeskip in "A Burden Shared is a Weight Lifted," so about 4-5 months before Bucky shows back up. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Adrien Agreste walked the streets of Paris at a brisk pace, pulling his scarf higher around his mouth and nose. The wind was brisk, with just the first hints of a snow flurry kissing his face. Snow was an exciting prospect, but it was still cold.

Besides, he wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of being recognized. Things had improved since his father's arrest in April, but there was still the odd reporter that, on a slow news day, would poke into the misfortunes of the “son of a villain.” Adrien was certain that _someone_ would be interested in how he was spending his Christmas, the vultures. He was very much over the whole debacle.

He could still remember defeating Hawkmoth, the sickening realization that it was his own father who had been terrorizing the city, trying to hurt him and his Lady, for _years_ now. He had watched as his father was dragged off to jail, never realizing that the hero who had defeated him was his own son. He had never been so grateful that Marinette had revealed her true identity to him shortly after their friend Jim's departure a few years back. She stood beside him, reassuring hand on his shoulder as he maintained appearances for the sake of the city, and he realized just how much he needed her in every aspect of his life, hero and civilian alike.

Things had descended into a horrifying downward spiral for a while after that. Gabriel Agreste was going to be in jail for a very long time, and nearly all of his assets, including his home, had been taken by the courts. Adrien supposed he was lucky that he had a separate account with funds saved up from his modeling work that was in his own name. It wasn't a lot, but supplemented by picking up some work cleaning the labs at his college, it was enough for him to afford a small flat and food for himself and Plagg.

Not that he ate at home that frequently. Amid all the awfulness, when nearly everyone he knew turned their backs on him, Nino, Alya, and the Dupain-Chengs had been a bastion of warmth and acceptance. Refusing to let him suffer alone, they had taken to inviting him over for meals or to play video games or to sleep over like they were _les écoliers_ again. And if he sometimes fell away into silence, they were kind enough to give him the space he needed to process the hurt. He didn't know what he had done to deserve these amazing people, but he knew he would do absolutely anything for them. He felt loved in a way he hadn't since before his mother disappeared, maybe not even then. In any case, he had a family now, one bound not by blood but by love and choice.

A soft smile crossed Adrien's face as he pulled himself from his thoughts. He fingered the small ring box in his pocket, nervousness, anticipation, and affection twisting that smile into an unreadable expression. Ever since he had realized that Ladybug and Marinette were the same person, he had known that he would one day marry her. He could kick himself for waiting this long to ask her.

When his father had been in the picture, Gabriel had always loomed large and disapproving, never accepting his relationship with such a common girl despite her obvious charm and skill in fashion design. And then after, well. . . . Besides, they were both in their final year of college and working hard to make decent grades.

He tightened his fingers around the box. No more excuses. He was done delaying. He was going to ask her tonight, no matter what. He had found a beautiful heirloom ring, nothing like as expensive as he could have afforded before, but . . . well, he thought it suited her and she would like it.

He approached the Dupain-Cheng _boulangerie_ , going to the small side door like the familiar friend he was rather than trying the locked front door of the darkened shopfront. Tom's cheerful smile greeted him, and he was swept into a warm, bone-crushing embrace.

“ _Bienvenu_ , my son! _Joyeux Noël_! Come, come, Sabine is just finishing dinner, and Marinette's working on something or another in her room,” Marinette's father greeted him, finally setting him down on the floor again and closing the door behind them.

Adrien felt his mouth dry up as nervousness nearly overcame him, but he was committed to doing this. He stopped Tom in the entryway, wanting to talk with him before they went upstairs to the living area.

“ _Monsieur_ Dupain, er, Tom,” he corrected himself as Tom opened his mouth to scold him over the formality. He forced himself to meet Tom's eyes, confident in the older man's affection yet somehow impossibly nervous at the moment. “I need to ask you something. I think you already know, but, well, I love your daughter with all my heart, and I'd like to ask her to marry me. With your permission, sir.”

He couldn't believe himself. He was a superhero, for crying out loud, and yet here he was, shaking with nerves by the time he finished. He stood there for a long few seconds, waiting for Tom's response. Tom stood there, face blank, for what felt like an eternity before he burst into a belly laugh that Old Saint Nick himself would envy. He caught Adrien up in another bear hug, taking the younger man entirely by surprise.

“It's about time,” Tom chortled. “Sabine and I think of you as a son, you know? It's about time you two made it official. There's no one we'd rather have for our Marinette. You have our blessing. Now come, let us eat!”

Relief and giddy joy made Adrien's limbs feel a bit like jelly as he ascended the stairs after Tom. A burst of warmth, cheerful Christmas music, and the smells of delicious food greeted him as he entered the main family living area.

Sabine popped out from the kitchen, and he bent down so she could kiss his cheek. He smiled as he was struck once again by how odd a couple Marinette's parents were—Tom huge and boisterous while Sabine was so tiny and serene. And yet, they were so perfect together, so obviously in love and such all-around wonderful people. _Relationship goals_ , Adrien thought as he offered to help in the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Marinette came down the stairs from her loft—managing, he noted, _not_ to trip down the stairs this time. He never could figure out how she was so graceful as Ladybug yet so clumsy as Marinette, but he loved that about her, too. It was adorable and endearing. She came up and greeted him with a quick kiss.

“ _Joyeux Noël, chaton_ ,” she whispered in his ear.

“ _Joyeux Noël_ , Milady. You look lovely,” he said, studiously ignoring the approving smiles her parents were beaming at them.

It was true; she was adorable. She was wearing an oversized red sweater with black polka dots—clearly a Marinette original—over black leggings. Her hair was styled in some sort of fancy braided up-do and secured with a ladybug pin. She smiled, taking in his own sweater—black with a bright green pawprint and the words “Meowy Christmas” on it in English. She snorted a small, unladylike laugh at the terrible pun. It was good to hear her laughing again; she hadn't much for a while there. None of them had.

The two of them slipped up to Marinette's room for a minute to settle Tikki and Plagg in with a nice Christmas spread of cookies and cheese. Being Ladybug and Chat Noir was one secret they were still keeping secret from Tom and Sabine, although sometimes they wondered if Marinette's parents didn't already know. It was hard to tell, at times, if their knowing expressions were related to that or just to the whole “young love” thing that Adrien and Marinette clearly had going on. Well, whatever; as long as they didn't say anything, the two young superheroes were going to act as though their secret was still intact.

Adrien followed Marinette back down to the main living area, and the four of them settled into a comfortable evening of good food and enjoyable company as the snow fell softly outside. They exchanged small gifts and played games together—ending in a ridiculous pun war between Tom and Adrien. Marinette and Sabine sat back and watched, sipping cups of cocoa in amusement.

As the evening was winding down, Adrien gathered his courage. It was now or not today at all, and he had a feeling that Tom's disappointed stare would destroy him if he didn't ask today. He didn't think he could bear to not know Marinette's answer any longer himself.

“Marinette,” he said, reaching up to rub the back of his neck nervously with one hand, the other in his pocket, fidgeting with the ring box. “Could I speak to you in private for a minute?”

“Sure,” she replied, a perplexed look on her face. “Um, we'll be back down in a bit,” she said to her parents over her shoulder as she led the way up to her room, nearly tripping on one of the steps. Ah, there was that adorable clumsiness Adrien knew so well.

“Tikki, Plagg, could you give us some privacy for a bit?” he asked as he entered the room.

“Oh, eurgh, are you two going to be all gross?” Plagg asked, making gagging faces.

“Stop it, Plagg. It's sweet and romantic,” Tikki chirped, smacking him in the back of the head before dragging him away through the wall. “You two have fun!”

After the two kwami split, the room was left in near silence, lit only by the lamp on Marinette's desk and the sliver of light from outside filtering through the snow obscuring her skylight. Marinette looked up at Adrien expectantly. He took a deep breath, calling on all his Chat Noir confidence.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” he said, his voice steady and certain, “you are my partner, my best friend, and the love of my life. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife as well?” He got down on one knee before her, offering her the ring.

She teared up, both hands rising to cover her mouth. She just . . . stood there for a moment before reaching down to take the ring out of the box and examine it. Then she crouched down beside Adrien and kissed him soundly. He wrapped one arm around her back, pulling her into a more comfortable position. His other hand cradled her face as he kissed her back. They stayed that way for several minutes, just relishing each other, being together. Adrien finally pulled back and looked deep into his love's eyes.

“Um, so . . . is that a yes?” he asked. Marinette giggled softly before leaning in to kiss him again.

“Yes, Adrien. Yes, I would be happy to be your wife.” She slipped the ring on her finger and leaned into him, giddiness vibrating off of her. He held her close, barely able to breathe past the emotion clogging his throat. He loved her _so much_!

He knew that there would be plenty of hard days ahead. They would face it, together, just as they had faced down innumerable hardships before. For now, Adrien was filled with joyful optimism. A future with his Lady at his side . . . what more could he possibly wish for?


End file.
